Next month, the Global Alliance for Road Safety NGOs will hold its 6th meeting in Crete, Greece. YOURS is one of the founder members of the Alliance and has been involved in the meetings since the beginning. The meeting takes place in the city of Chania and will bring together NGOs from all across the world as well as road safety experts.

Prior to the High-Level Symposium, a number of pre-events and workshops are taking place. We will be running a workshop on ‘Youth and Road Safety’ – an insight into evidence-based practices in meaningful youth participation with young people. Our session will also focus on the forthcoming 2nd World Youth Assembly for Road Safety that YOURS is planning prior to the 3rd Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Sweden (February, 2020).

The youth workshop will focus on the following:

• To raise awareness of the importance of meaningful youth participation in all elements of road safety decision-making and explore the power of youth in road safety;
• Explore why youth should be involved in the 3rd Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, Stockholm, Sweden (February 2020), via the 2nd World Youth Assembly (WYA);
• To raise awareness of the WYA that precedes the Ministerial conference;
• Work with NGOs to explore how they can be involved in the WYA and the role of civil society.

In the build up to the High-Level Symposium, we will also be running a catch up and evaluation session with the previously trained Alliance Advocates who have been working with through the Alliance Empowerment Programme since 2015. Also during the conference, we will presenting on the 5th United Nations Global Road Safety Week.

MORE ABOUT THE SIXTH MEETING

The Towards Zero road safety principles are also in place across most Australian states and territories. Overseas, many other countries have adopted the same principles (also known as Vision Zero), including: Sweden, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Norway and large cities in the US, such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston.

A touching video from the campaign explains to a seemingly random person the number of deaths of Australia’s roads, when asked what he thought would be an ‘acceptable number’ he says ‘erm, around 70?’. The video then goes on to show 70 people in real life that turn out to be the man’s family.

Each year, approximately 90 people are killed on New Zealand roads because they didn’t wear a seatbelt. Many of these lives could’ve been saved if the person had belted up.

Seatbelts save lives – it’s that simple. A seatbelt supports you if you’re involved in a crash or if the vehicle you’re in stops suddenly. In these situations, the force on the seatbelts can be as much as 20 times a person’s weight. If a seatbelt isn’t worn, this is how hard a person would hit the inside of the vehicle.

Target Audience
This new campaign specifically targets males aged 20-40 years. These guys live rurally or in the provinces and are a particularly hard to reach bunch of lads. The types of crashes they have often happen late at night after drinking. They don’t wear seatbelts. They know about them but see them as an optional extra – not something ‘proper’ adult men need to use. Kids or ‘worriers’ and people who follow the rules wear them just to be doing the right thing.

These guys drive roughly and think that a crash is inevitable. They’ve had their share of dings and while their mates may have crashed too, that’s just part of driving. They think that if you’re going to have a big one (crash), that’s just the hand you’ve been dealt and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Our aim is to make the seatbelt a worthwhile item for them to wear. The challenge is to move their thinking from ‘seatbelts aren’t an optional accessory’ to ‘it’s a tool worth using’ as they save lives. They don’t like being told what to do and they know what they’re comfortable with. NTZA’s  job with this campaign is to bring ‘risk’ to the front of their mind and show them why they should always wear a seatbelt.

The Approach
NTZA used real-life crash survivors for this campaign; both drivers and passengers. Ten males (that are part of their target audience) were recruited via Vice channel; a media company that is popular amongst our target audience because of their online content hub, YouTube channel and social channels. Each of these guys had been in a crash where they wore a seatbelt and survived.

Using professional advice from medical trauma specialists, and recollections of the injury from each individual and their families, along with photos, all of the original injuries sustained were recreated with makeup and prosthetics. Photos were taken of each survivor to illustrate the fact that although they sustained injuries, they survived to share their story. When tested with the target audience, the concept was found to be highly relevant for them. Specifically, they could clearly see the reasons why they should always wear a seatbelt.

The campaign launched in February with customised billboards situated in the car parks of pubs and bars at key events around New Zealand. The campaign is very targeted and has specifically used media that is relevant and likely to reach the target audience.

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN ABOUT SEATBELTS AT YOURS

Hear all about youth and road safety issues targeted to the Asia region through this webinar!

Structure of the Webinar

• Introduction – Miu Kimura, Organisational Delegate for Youth and Resource Mobilisation, IFRSC
• Overview on Road Safety – Blaise Murphet, Asia Pacific Programme, Manager, Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP)
• Why Youth Engagement in Road Safety? – Manpreet Darroch, Head of Communications, YOURS – Youth for Road Safety
• How to engage? – Blaise Murphet
• Road Safety and Youth Engagement in National Society – Krishna Ghimir Head of Health Service Department, Nepal Red Cross

 About the organizations involved:

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is a worldwide humanitarian aid organization that reaches 160 million people each year through its 190-member National Societies.

The non-profit Global Road Safety Partnership was formed in 1999. THeir members are leading multi- and bi-lateral development agencies, governments, businesses and civil society organizations. Hosted by the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, GRSP is governed through a constitution approved by a Steering Committee of our members.

Nepal Red Cross Society is an independent, volunteer-based and nonprofit-humanitarian organization that delivers humanitarian service and support to the vulnerable people in an impartial and neutral manner. It came into being on 4 September 1963

READ MORE ABOUT GLOBAL ADVOCACY AT YOURS

Hello,

Have you heard? The National Safety Council recently estimated 40,000 people were killed in motor vehicle-related crashes in 2018, with industries and property damages at $412.8 billion in the United States. These numbers are unacceptable, and there is no secret that there has become a societal normal of car crashes.

NTSB Vice Chairman Bella Dinh – Zarr, PH.D MPH recently shared in an Op Ed how we can save at least 1500 lives every year if every state adopts a .05 BAC law. Interventions like such is what changes the behavior, but more importantly the culture. I was recently shocked after learning the trend “DDD – designated drunk driver”. This has become a trend in undergraduate institutions and illustrates the need for stronger laws and education in higher education.

Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a major public health threat in Tanzania. The World Health Organization estimates approximately 16,252 lives are lost on the Tanzanian roads each year (29.2 deaths per 100.000 citizens). Almost half are vulnerable road users, like pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists. Although the government, enforcement agencies and NGOs have taken various preventive measures, the number of RTIs keeps growing. Adopting a people centered approach to road development can assist in preventing these daily tragedies.

“PEOPLE-CENTERED ROAD DESIGN”
This practical training will bring international and Tanzanian experts to cover topics on road safety, behavioral change and citizen engagement through consultations, case studies, group discussions and site visits.